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Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak is taking credit for driving into the ditch Chrysler’s request for $700 million from the federal and provincial governments.

His hard-line position against “corporate welfare” comes amid criticism from both Ottawa and Queen’s Park that Hudak’s earlier comments calling the automaker’s request for assistance nothing more than “extortion” and “ransom” may have derailed future negotiations with Chrysler.

“We are getting the commitment to the jobs in Brampton ... and we are going to get the next generation minivan at Chrysler Windsor as well and the taxpayers saved $700 million,” Hudak told reporters Thursday referring to the fact the automaker suddenly decided not to take the cash, citing the fact it had become a “political football.”

On Wednesday, Hudak reached out to Chrysler Canada officials — in a call that had been arranged before it was known the company was withdrawing its demand for public money.

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PC sources said the Tory leader thanked the firm for its continued investment in Ontario, though others confided the conversation was strained.

Economic Development and Trade Minister Eric Hoskins said that’s because Hudak is to blame.

Hoskins noted Chrysler CEO “Sergio (Marchionne) was pretty clear in his description of Tim Hudak’s comments as ‘inflammatory’ and ‘irresponsible’ and ‘unhelpful.’”

Chrysler’s biggest union, meanwhile, said it spent much of Thursday trying to get the company and the two levels of government back to the negotiating table

“It’s very important that it does get back on track,” Unifor national president Jerry Dias said an interview. The union, formerly the Canadian Auto Workers, represents 7,700 workers at the two plants.

However, Dias said he may have to wait for cooler heads to prevail. “They’re still really mad at Hudak,” Dias said after speaking with Chrysler Canada chief executive Reid Bigland yesterday.

The union fears Chrysler’s commitment, without government aid, could be short-lived.

Hudak told the Queen’s Park news conference it has been proven time and again that companies will have their hands out as long as governments are doling out cash, but will pick up stakes and leave Ontario once the money runs out.

“Case after case, those companies stay until the suitcase of cash runs out, then they leave. That’s no way to build a sustainable economy and that tells me that (Premier) Kathleen Wynne and the Liberals are pushovers,” said Hudak, who refused to criticize his Conservative colleagues in Ottawa.

Critics are concerned that the worrying letter from Chrysler leaves the door open for the long-time Ontario company to start shopping around if its needs are not met.

Wynne said later that Hudak’s views on helping the auto industry are a mistake.

“Suggesting ... it’s not in the best interest of Ontario economy to actually work with the auto sector, I think that is wrong-headed,” Wynne told reporters later.

Instead, she said the emphasis should be on developing long-term strategies with the auto sector so “that we have an understanding that there will be long-term presence and footprint of the auto sector in Ontario.”

“I will continue to have an open door in terms of those discussions with the auto sector,” said Wynne who spoke to Chrysler's CEO Sergio Marchionne Wednesday to reassure him the province remains committed to working with Chrysler.

The Premier said it is “unhelpful for political leaders in this province to suggest that working with the auto sector, working with auto companies, working with auto parts companies is not in the best interest of the people of Ontario.”

Chrysler declined to confirm reports it walked away from the talks because the governments wanted to know how much the company was going to invest in Ontario.

Marchionne has said only that it would be the company’s biggest investment in North America since the recession.

The company was reportedly planning to spend up to $3.6 billion on a major overhaul that industry experts say would have bought those plants another 20 to 25 years of life

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